Maine Animal Health Alliance

08/28/2026

Today, August 28th is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, a time to remember and celebrate the pets who may no longer be by our sides, but will always hold a special place in our hearts. They may be gone from our sight, but they are forever part of our hearts.

We’d love to honor and remember the pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge with you. Please feel free to share their name, a favorite photo, or a special memory in the comments so we can celebrate the love and joy they brought into your life.

While this topic is never an easy one to have, today is also a chance to talk openly about one of the hardest parts of loving an animal: recognizing when their quality of life has changed, making difficult decisions about their care, and knowing when it may be time to say goodbye. We have linked some resources in the comment section below for anyone looking for support with evaluating their pet’s quality of life, knowing when it may be time to say goodbye, coping with grief and pet loss, and finding mental health support. MAHA is here for you and your pets through every stage of their lives, including the difficult ones. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you need guidance, support, or help understanding what resources may be available.

08/27/2026

Caring for your pets is only one part of the work we do here at MAHA!

Our work doesn’t stop with the pets we see in our own clinic. MAHA also helps provide hands-on training opportunities for veterinary professionals in high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter techniques.

By sharing practical skills, tools, and experience with other veterinarians, we can help extend that impact beyond our clinic and support access to spay/neuter care in communities throughout the state of Maine and beyond!

We look forward to partnering with United Spay Alliance for this upcoming training!

Join United Spay Alliance and Maine Animal Health Alliance for a hands-on HQHVSN Feline Wet Lab focused on practical tips, tools and techniques for high-quality, high-volume feline spay/neuter.

Participants will have the opportunity to complete 5–6 feline spays while gaining techniques they can bring back to their own practice and community.

📅 October 22 | 7:30 AM–4:30 PM ET
📍 Maine Animal Health Alliance | Augusta, ME
🎓 8 CE hours
💲 $150
🩺 OPEN to veterinarians licensed in ANY STATE in the US
⚠️ Only 3 of 6 spots remain

Space is extremely limited. Register today to secure your spot at https://www.unitedspayalliance.org/hqhvsn-feline-wet-lab-augusta-october-22-2026/

08/19/2026

This Saturday, August 22 is National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day, a reminder that routine veterinary care is just as important for our feline friends! Cats can be experts at hiding any discomfort which is why it is important to keep up with routine wellness visits to catch any signs of illness.

Some kitties have a fear of the carrier and/or the vet so what should you do if that is your kitty? A little desensitization can go a long way! Read below for some more tips on helping your kitty warm up to the idea!

How does YOUR cat react when the carrier comes out?
😀-Time for an adventure
😱-Absolutely not!
🫣-Immediately runs and hides

If your cat is due for a checkup soon consider National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day as your reminder to get their next visit on the calendar!

08/15/2026

Spay/neuter resources, because kitten season is not slowing down 🐾

I get asked about this almost every week, so here it is in one place.

The state’s Help Fix ME program is still not accepting new applications. I have had plenty to say about that already. In the meantime, here are the places actually doing the work right now.

Community Spay-Neuter Clinic
Felines only. Last posted rates were $130 males and $150 females, which includes vaccines, pain medication, and an e-collar for the girls. Book online at communityspayneuterclinic.org or call (207) 721-8395. They also run a mobile clinic out of Waterville.

Maine Animal Health Alliance
231 Old Belgrade Road. Nonprofit, low cost spay/neuter and vaccines, appointment only. They schedule online at maineanimalhealth.org. Book early, their calendar fills up. (207) 480-1001

Rescue Charlie's Friends
They open their surgical suite for feline clinics. Last posted rates were $80 males and $100 females, with rabies, distemper, and Revolution at $10 each. Cash at drop off, and everybody travels in a carrier. Call or text (207) 344-8096 to grab a spot.

08/14/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day! If your pet joined a nonprofit team, what would their job be? Greeter👋, comfort coordinator🫂 or snack supervisor🦴?

Today we are celebrating the nonprofit organizations that work hard everyday to support people, pets, and communities! We would like to give a huge shoutout to all the employees, volunteers, partners, donors, and communities who make the work of nonprofits possible (including the work done here at MAHA!)

Want to learn more about what exactly a nonprofit is? Be sure to read more in the comments below!

08/06/2026

What’s your dog’s park personality? Social Butterfly 🦋, Ball Chaser 🎾 or a Wallflower 🌷?

Dog parks can be a great place for dogs to exercise, socialize, and burn off energy but dog parks can expose your dog to certain health and safety risks. A little preparation can keep your visit to the dog park safe and fun.

Check out these helpful tips in the comments before your next adventure and we’d love to hear your favorite dog park safety tips!

08/04/2026

🐾 Please take a moment to read and share this important information about Maine’s Help Fix ME program.
This program helps provide spay/neuter assistance for qualifying pets, but funding is currently low and new vouchers are temporarily on hold. One simple way Mainers can help support this lifesaving program is by getting an Animal Welfare license plate and encouraging others to do the same.
Small actions add up — please help spread the word for Maine’s animals. ❤️🐶🐱

We've recently seen a lot of questions here regarding the State of Maine Help Fix ME program, which issues spay/neuter vouchers for cats and some dogs to qualifying residents.

The program, run by the Department of Agriculture and subject to state accounting processes, is currently low on funds and not issuing any new vouchers until new funds arrive in their account. This program is funded by a surcharge on pet food brands and flavors that are registered with the state for retail sales. The program also receives funds from a tax checkoff that all Mainers can donate to when their taxes are done. The Animal Welfare license plate also generates funds for both this program and cruelty investigations across the state.

We want to make sure that folks are aware that there are monthly financial reports on the program, noting all income and expenditures. They can be found on the Department website, on the page pertaining to the Animal Welfare Advisory Council, which reviews the reports each meeting to ensure that available funds are being disbursed appropriately. See the link in the comments. Please note that there always needs to be a pool of money in the account to pay for vouchers that have been issued but have not yet been redeemed for payment.

Funds do not arrive consistently, but are instead sporadic and unpredictable through the accounting office. We strongly hope that new funds will be deposited in the account soon, so the program can again issue vouchers that are true life-savers across our state.

How can you help? If you don't have an animal welfare license plate, get one, and encourage everyone you know in Maine to get one on their car too- it makes an annual impact and the funds ARE being used exactly as intended.

07/31/2026

Happy National Mutt Day!
Today we are celebrating all the one of a kind mixed-breeds that fill our lives with love and wagging tails! We would love to see your favorite mutt(s) in the comments!
We would like to introduce you to one of our MAHA mascots Flo– can you guess what breed she is? Results will be in the comments below!
Every dog is unique and MAHA is proud to care for dogs of all breeds, mixes, shapes, and sizes.

07/29/2026

Pyometra is the fancy word for infection of the uterus. This is a disease that will affect cats and dogs of any age. We use to say that it was more common in older dogs and rare in cats but we are seeing an unusually high number of young cat pyometra cases.

This is typically a surgical disease and a routine spay with your regular veterinarian can help prevent this issue. Spays also reduce risk of breast cancer. In dogs, 50% of breast tumors are cancer and cats 85-90% of breast masses are cancer! Spaying them early in life before multiple heat cycles and hormone exposure can prevent breast cancer.

Furthermore, intact females/males have a higher risk of fighting/bite wounds due to hormonal changes, higher risk of being hit by a car since the hormones make them want to go outside/cross the road etc.

A routine spay is much more budget friendly than an emergency life saving surgery. It can be tough to get in with a veterinarian in Maine but get on that wait list, take that routine new patient appointment in 3 months, or look at low cost spay/neuter clinics in the state.

07/23/2026

Team Baguette 🥖 or Team Croissant 🥐? Share your favorite cat loaf picture!

Every cat owner and advocate wants the same thing: a world where every kitten born has a safe home, full bowls, and a loving family waiting for them. But the math of feline reproduction is overwhelming. In just a few years, the offspring of a single unspayed cat can exponentially grow into a population size larger than entire major cities like Paris. Out in the wild, that exponential growth means millions of kittens born into environments without enough shelter, food, or medical care. That’s why spay-abort procedures—while emotional and complex—are one of the most compassionate tools we have in animal welfare. Performing a spay-abort isn't just a routine surgical choice; it’s a proactive act of mercy that protects the mother’s health, prevents severe shelter overcrowding, and breaks the cycle of stray suffering before it starts.

What is a spay-abort procedure? A spay-abort is a routine spay procedure that is performed while an animal is still pregnant. This procedure humanely ends the pregnancy and helps prevent future litters.

What actually happens during a spay-abort? Medically, the procedure is performed just like a standard spay. Under full general anesthesia and with dedicated pain management, the uterus and ovaries are safely removed—meaning the mother cat feels no pain or distress throughout the entire process. Because her body doesn't have to go through the intense physical strain of labor, nursing, and recovery in harsh conditions, her health is protected, and she can focus entirely on healing in a safe, quiet environment.
Clients often ask if pregnant cats feel grief or loss after a spay-abort. Since cats live in the present and operate on instinct rather than complex long term planning, they do not experience emotional regret. What they do feel is immediate relief from the physical toll of a high-risk pregnancy.

Why is it important?
Reduces the number of unwanted puppies and kittens which helps prevent overcrowding in the shelters.
Reduces the number of stray animals. This procedure also helps reduce the euthanasia rates in shelters (which have been dropping drastically each year since the 1970s due to increased spay/neuter procedures).
It can also improve the health of the mothers as it prevents any future unwanted litters and can help reduce their risk of certain cancers/infections.

Questions about spay/neuter options or pregnant strays? Our medical team is here to support you with gentle, non-judgmental guidance. Reach out to us today!